Battle From Hell
by rainbowthefox
Summary: "It was all a cruel pattern, this world now in days. How people act, how people choose, how people see, it was all contributing to our society. Our darn low society." Told from Jack's P.O.V. Jack x Sally. WARNING: Read beginning before you start reading the actual story.
1. Chapter 1

**WARNING: CONTAINS CHARACTER ABUSE, CURSING, AND SOME WAYS THAT MAY BE UNSUITABLE FOR YOUR OWN TASTE/OPINIONS. READ AT YOUR OWN WILL. **

**You have been warned, keep in mind.**

* * *

Torture and pain. Treated as a desired privilege among the weak. It didn't matter if they were poor, helpless, rich, etc. Ruthless people would target their victims, wanting them to show agony, or even to feel anguished all for their own satisfaction. Heartless people, they were defined. Although their victims would be called upon shame for no legitimate reason, possibly for letting themselves being towered over. Cowards.

Was that how I was looked upon on others? I was once the most trusted and respected person seen. People would bow down in worship towards me, crawling at their feet to just lay a finger on me. Never would I let other people take advantage of myself, nor others in my sight. It was all a cruel pattern, this world now in days. How people act, how people choose, how people see, it was all contributing to our society. Our damn low society.

People would walk on the streets and scoff at the poor, not even showing a sign of gratitude nor respect towards them and what had happened to them. Children would be dragged around on the streets, working the most difficult tasks at all ages. It wouldn't matter if they were hungry, depth, blind, scrawny, disabled, anything. They would be forced for labor against their will. No one ever spoke up for themselves, afraid for the unneeded discipline expected if they did so.

_She_ spoke up. The only one that cared. The only one besides me that got tired of the pattern. The useless reason beyond it and the start of it. The cruel ways of it that would never be hidden or lied about. _She_ had spoke. Spoke her will, her words, her own opinions, everything to stand up for the good and hope for the side of the world. A defense for the side that resisted any damages already done because of it.

Did she get beaten for it? Of course she did. Just like all the other children, teenagers, and adults that did. She got no special treatment or any listening voice. No humanity had been left in the world, even if she had tried to bring it back. No one cared. No one tried to change anything. She tried, she had cared, but yet she had failed, just like all the others.

I had once spoke for myself. I, also, had seen the worse side of the world and the pattern with it. I once had experienced the good, kind side of it. It didn't last very long, once the world had changed over it. I had been forced for labor, among the many other teens my age had. I've been ever since I was 3. Working out on the fields, carrying metal on my back, getting whipped if I had refused, the same treatment among the children below my age.

When I had been forced to heave a statue honoring my father, who had put the treatment for everyone my age legal, I had refused. The first time I had done in my worthless life. After the words had left my lips, I remember not ever feeling them again. I got beat down for it very hard. Of course, I couldn't complain, since everyone else my age practically had felt the same kind of punishment, but this wasn't the same.

My father was king. Accounted as 'Pumpkin King,' in the royal family. Not only did he have many others working for him, but he was very skilled with a whip when he had to. He whipped me so hard that I couldn't even stand, as well as the others my age. But, when he had hired one of his workers to take over the job, that's when _it_ happened.

They had killed me.

Punished me so hard that they _killed_ me. Did they care? Hell no. Did they mean to? Possibly not, but my father was happy with what they did. My work was apparently not to his satisfaction, no matter how many times he had to discipline me to try harder. I remembered their sound of laughing as I had fell to the ground, taking my last breath.

Enjoyment.

That was all they felt. Enjoyed and amused at my pain. Not only mine, but everyone else's in the world. Either you were rich and had every right to own a "slave," or you were poor and counted as a 'victim.' It all had depended on your family, wealthy or not.

Many people had thought that the royal family never got punished or labored. But, boy, were their assumptions out of line. As soon as I was born, when there was peace in the world, my father had gotten mad that I had ended up as a male, instead of a female, and had blamed my mother. He had killed her the day after I was born, in order for a 'punishment,' even though it wasn't her fault.

He had planned for me to work 24-7 once I was able to stand, walk, and run correctly. He had felt pain for himself about the "tragedy" that happened to him, so he felt that it should have ran in the rest of the world, for it to suffer what he did. Ever since then, the world had ended up like that. Pain and misery spread around it, no ounce of happiness seen or spread to others. Adults in the royal family had it all, whipping others for satisfaction, including me.

It turns out that as soon as I had died, I ended up to bare bones, losing all my organs and skin. Rotted and thrown away. Now, I was about as thin as a stick. Only having my bones and my skull for support, I wasn't as slow as I was. I was a lot faster, flexible, and wiser, keeping my brain. I didn't actually, "die." When I was first born, like everyone, we had a curse inside our bodies that had let us live after death. It was why everyone treated each other so cruel, beating the ones below them close to death. Then, after that, the pattern continued, only permanently. Except the adults in my generation never had the curse on them, so as soon as they died, they were gone. Permanently. Except for my father, who was selfish enough to ask for the curse on him, to run the things to his satisfaction, not caring if I was next in line for the throne.

When I had died and half-lived again, my father absolutely despised me. He sent me anywhere to get out of his sight. He handed me over to my aunt to take charge of, but she had died, so I had been sent to my cousin. He ended up having a son, no use for me, so I had been sent back. Like an object, being tossed anywhere to one's satisfaction. Soon after that I was sent by him to work at an orphanage with children below and at my age to work with them. A lady in charge there then took control of me and gave me orders, as well with the rest of the children. If she wanted to, she could send me back to the King, who would figure out what to do with me next.

But, she never did. And then that's when I met _her._ She was a girl about 3 years younger than me, but acted around my age. She had long, red hair and had large eyes with the most beautiful eyelashes. She wasn't very short, nor very tall, about an average height. Her family had been very poor that she had worn a dress made out of scraps of cloth sewn together that was extremely thin, providing no ounce of warmth.

Her name was Sally Finklestein. Her father had been an inventor and was interested in Science, working for my father as a scientist with experiments and what not. He truly hated his own daughter and had treated her the same as anyone else. Except he ended up killing her, like me. But, he had ended up taking her brain and making a whole new body for her that looked like a doll, and had given her life again. But...her body was clumsy, being sewn together, and she had barely any support and strength from it. She was forced for labor anyway, with her father not caring.

It turned out that she had escaped her father's house, which was forbidden, and had found the orphanage. She begged for them to take her, not caring if she would be treated the same. She had been accepted, but immediately chosen to work the fields of the orphanage, and when I had came, I had joined her.

I ended up falling in love with the girl. She had spoken so soft, slowly, and showed kindness. The one thing I had never seen left in the world and had thought they lost it. She was very intelligent and knew so much, and mostly had the same opinions as I did. I remember having short conversations with her as we'd carry buckets of water around our shoulders, not hesitating from the task to be disciplined.

She had ended up falling for me, not even knowing that I had been the Prince, son of the father who started the madness. I was truly against it, but kept the fact hidden from her, afraid if she would reject me because of it and hate me for the rest of her life. I never wanted that. She was the only one left that had enough sensibility inside of her to understand the negative influence of our pattern in our society and how cruel it was. All the others recognized it as well, but never had said anything or passed word around it. And to do was a gallant action, which I had admired from her. I had the same trait, passing word around from it, getting others to agree.

But one day, she had been fed up with how repeated it was and how they were trying to influence children today to do it once they can afford to have a child and/or "slave." She was tired of how everyone around her, including me, were treated so negatively. It was so tiring of how the world switched from happy to sad and to never change back because of someone's opinion. She even told me, and I had agreed, but encouraged her to not do any significant action, from the highly possible chances of getting beaten for it.

But she had ignored me. One day, when the "boss" had hired us all to do a difficult and dangerous task, she had said, "No." The "boss" had even given her a chance to correct herself, but she had stood her guard and repeated "no." My reaction was truly amazed, as well as the others. But, we all had expected once the "boss" had whipped her, threatening her to accept the task. But, she had repeated the word, "No."

That's when things got ugly. She got beaten so hard that I had ended up taking the whip from the "boss," which remained forbidden. I ended up getting the same punishment, but I had fought back in defense for the poor girl. And to fight back was illegal for us, "cowards," so I had been sent back to my father, away from Sally. I don't know what happened to her, but I know it wasn't pleasant.

As soon as I had gotten to my father, he was fed up with my actions and had beaten me a bit before sending me in a cage, being locked up. I never knew how long, but I know that I would pay for what I had done, even if it was for the good of the world.

I slowly looked down, to observe my blood-stained and damaged pants. My shirt had the same situation, being no different. My skeletal hands had been tied up to the wall, unable for me to sit up or move. I was always under watch by a guard or a camera being recorded. Right now, a camera had replaced the guard's position, staring straight at me. I had observed it for a minute before staring back at the ground, not saying a word.

In fact, it felt forever since I had said a word. None were needed, nor optional. If one pipe was heard out of me without permission, my father would come in and let me know that personally.

I closed my eye sockets as I clenched my hands into fists in annoyance. I felt so helpless and useless, contributing to nothing. Sally had the guts to speak up for herself, but I had done no such thing.

Weak.

It was how I was now. I once was strong and stood my guard, but that all changed once the _"law"_ had took over. It changed everyone's guard and defense, either dropping it, or raising it. The most weak people would have the most best reputation while the most tough would have the most worse. It was all unfair. It was all tyranny.

I am a coward. At least on the outside, but inside I remained bold and rough, ready for any action thrown at me. On the outside, I may look scrawny, weak, helpless, but that's all just observations. I could fight my way out of this prison, but what point would it be if there's nothing outside of it, treated the same inside?

I felt light crawl onto my face and a creak from the door. I slowly looked up, expecting it to either be my father or one of the guards ready for me.

But I was wrong.


	2. Chapter 2

As soon as the door had closed, blocking out the sudden light, I was able to spot out 3 figures. Two of them looked alike, easily being recognized as the King's guards by their uniforms. All I was too familiar with. But the 3rd figure was shorter compared, rather thin, and had a large head that looked as if a compartment for a brain.  
The thin man had struggled, being in the guards' grasp, but they had let go and threw the figure in my cell without much care. He landed with a _thud!_ on the ground, just inches away from me.

"That'll make you think twice before acting treason against the king." One of the guards said in a menacing tone, slamming the cell door and locking it once more.

The man just propped himself up with his arms, strangely not bothering to use his legs. "I-I was just trying to help prevent it! I'm innocent, I tell you!"

"Yeah, we'll back for you for Round 2, and don't think it'll just be your legs this time." The other guard threatened, opening the door and exiting with the other guard. It was silent as the door had slammed, echoing in the small room.

I glanced over to the figure. He was very pale and, as I had observed earlier, had a large head. He wore dark glasses that hid his eyes, and had worn a white-colored coat, matching exactly the same uniform the scientists that worked for my father wore.

My eye sockets widened. He wore the exact same logo. Except normally the scientists' coats would have a name tag, but his was gone. The place where it would normally be looked as if it had been ripped off by force.

That was usually a sign for that the worker had done something that my father wasn't proud of. Before every beating, they'd be sure to rip off the name tag and, well, beat them with it, damaging it so that you couldn't read it anymore. The purpose for that is if you went against my father, he wouldn't bother to call you by your name when giving you an order. He'd instead give you a nickname that you'd use for the rest of your life.

I glanced down at his legs and had winced at the sight. Blood was spread around his once-white pants from the damage. A bone in his left knee had stuck out, while his right one looked bent backwards. It really prevented him from walking, but some bandages had been wrapped around the other parts of his leg, showing that he had attempted to heal the damages.

He looked back at me, making me awkwardly turn the other way. I really wondered what crime he had done to make the guards call "treason" for. As if reading my thoughts, he then said, "Medicine."

I looked back at him, glancing over back at the camera aimed at both of us, motioning towards it. He caught my message and just looked at the camera, then back at me.

He said without care, "Oh, please. That camera is out of film and half damaged, you can tell from the looks of it. It's not even efficient enough to look in any way that it's recording."

I noticed the carelessness in his voice as I turned back to the thing, seeing its damages and noticing that is was barely even on. My eyes narrowed in disgust. All this time my father's threats had been false but scared me anyway. I was so ignorant.

"So..." I finally said a word in forever. My voice had cracked, and I awkwardly cleared my throat. I turned back to the guy, who was leaning against the wall and staring at the ground by now.

"So, what about medicine?" I asked. I really wanted to sit up or would be close enough to, but...well...that wasn't going to happen.

"I had done some research requested by the King to figure out the reasons beyond of the symptoms of a common disease that has been spreading around recently. I found very interesting observations that have not been discovered for and tried to name them in my name, discovering a cure for the disease. The king wasn't as pleased with the idea as he called "treason" for it, wanting his own name in the damn cure. And so he had done that, taking my cured medicine in a bottle, naming it, then sending me off to some guards. They had broken my legs and let me off with that as warning, but apparently I am going to experience more as a "Round 2." He explained in a tone I couldn't recognize.

He looked at me, reading my facial features for any reaction.

I showed none as I looked to the ground. I murmured, "Wow."

"So, you're the Pumpkin Prince, eh?" He asked, changing subjects.

I glanced up at the door, wanting to hear any guards nearby eavesdropping, but silence had returned my hearing. I looked back at the scientist, who was just patiently waiting for a response.

"Yes." I nodded. I showed no ounce of happiness, sadness, anger, but remained neutral.

If I showed anything off, he might get an idea.

"I'm Doctor Finklestein." He introduced himself, but just looked at my clothing.

My eye sockets focused on him as I thought. Why did that name sound so...familiar?

My eye sockets widened in realization. I thought aloud, "You're Sally's father..."

He looked back at me with a confused expression, and I could tell by the tensed suspicion in his voice. "So...you know her? How?"

I was silent for a moment. I lied, "Well, I'm the Pumpkin Prince, so I know everyone."

He observed me for a minute, which made me feel a bit nervous.

He then shrugged, "Alright, that seems legit. Since you ARE the prince, do you know where she has gone?"

I avoided eye contact with him as I stared to the wall to my right. "No."

"Your tone doesn't sound very convincing to me, boy." Finklestein sounded annoyed.

I just closed my eye sockets as I tried to tune everything out. I slowly spoke, "Neither does yours."

I heard silence and a few noises before I had bothered to open my eye sockets back up. He apparently had crawled over to the corner of the room, fidgeting with something in his hands. I quickly looked to the door and back at him.

I then asked, "What are you doing?"

"Trying to make an escape plan. Don't you want to leave this prison?" He glanced back at me, slowly continuing to scrape something on the wall.

I sighed. "What's the point if it's Hell in here and out there? Escaping will do no good but make us criminals, which is bad enough for how everyone is treated in this world."

It was silent as Finklestein stared at me, stopping in his tracks. He then said quietly, "I see your point of it being no point. But rotting here for the rest of your, what seems afterlife, is bad enough than having the freedom you deserve, no?"

I snapped, "You never gave Sally freedom. You're one of those heartless, cruel people out in the world contributing to common acts performed today. You're no different than the King himself. That's why Sally ran away from you. If you were to just show one of act kindness yourself or something- no, ANYTHING against the acts today, she might've stayed and worked for you. You lying won't get me to think otherwise, no matter how you may try."

Finklestein frowned, hearing my words. He then looked down at the ground, piecing my words together. He said in a quiet tone, "You think it was FUN doing what I did to her? After all those acts performed to make her cry, you THINK I would laugh on purpose to that like a heartless man?"

"Then WHY did you kill her?" I asked through gritted teeth. I absolutely hated the man, and he was trying to make me think that he went against his own actions, which had been very hard to believe.

"The King requested it. He said she was trying to convince other fellow slaves to go against him and overthrow him, which would make you King and he had assumed that you would change the laws. So, he had told me to kill her before any others would get the idea. I was very surprised and I didn't want to perform such an act, but he had threatened my life for it as well.

"When I had killed her, I told him and had showed him the proof. He had promoted me to a higher rank. I was very sad about what I did and had tried to re-build her with her body, and had managed to recover her brain. So, she is the same person, but in a different body. Sadly, I had to act the same to her as I did before to blend in so no one would get suspicions of me. I knew with her being re-born that she would continue to convince others, and I really had hoped that one day her words would go into action."

He cleared his throat before looking back at me. "I really think you can do such a better job than the King. The pattern today remains illogical and rather cruel compared to the old laws. And it seems that the remaining kind people today are acted as if they're presumptuous for their positive actions when they try to contribute them. If you ask me, it's Hell all over again." Finklestein explained, staring at the ground during his speech.

I remained silent. What he said was a lot different than what I had expected him to say. Sally had told me that he was very cruel and selfish to keep her treated like everyone else, and defined him heartless. But I heard no suspicious tones in his voice, nor could catch any lies. And I really couldn't tell if what he said last was to be treated as a compliment or not.

Hearing no response, he coughed to break the silence. He then said in a low tone, "You know, you can still walk. That's something."

I closed my eye sockets again, really not sure how to act to him anymore. Through my life I was told the opposite of what I heard and saw now. He seemed to share my opinions, against my father's actions and purposes behind them, just like Sally. I was just wondering if he had influenced her in the first place, but I chose not to question it. Besides, I couldn't really trust anyone now in days. I was all on my own, and I didn't want to seem ignorant nor naïve.

I responded in a quiet tone, "Yeah, well, what use is that if your hands are tied down like they've been for all the time you've been in here?"

He looked over at my hands, seeing what I had said was true. He seemed to observe the chains locking my arms in. He then crawled over to my side, leaving an ounce trail of blood doing so, and had started to tinker with the locks. I tried to object to his actions, really wanting to nudge him or do anything, but I failed as I just slumped there, letting him continue.

While he was doing who-knows-what, he then stated in a low tone, "You know, there IS a point in escaping."

"And that would be...?"

"Finding my daughter." He replied.

I was about to say something until I heard a snap, and had felt my tired arms finally fall to the ground after years, feeling the coldness of the floor. I had sat up, resulting in many cracking noises from my bones, due to the length of time in the same position.

I rubbed both of my sore skeletal wrists, soothing the numbness from the change of temperature they had felt. I looked back to the man, who was dusting off his gloves. I finally asked, "What?"

"You're really thin, and I caught onto that pretty quick. The bars from the window to our left are smaller compared to your body, and you can slip through them. Same as the bars keeping us in, which is why I assume they had you locked you to the wall." He explained, motioning over to the bars.

My eye sockets widened as I looked in our background. He was only here for, what, 3 minutes? And yet he had noticed more than I did. This man was truly smart, I'll give him that.

I looked back at Finklestein, who gave me a knowing look.

I questioned again, "But, how am I supposed to find your daughter? All I know is that she ran off to an orphanage after she ran away from you, and that the person in charge of the place that might have sent her away."

He looked at the details of the wall, looking as if he didn't care. I was about to snap at him until he responded, "I thought you were the Prince, that you knew everybody and everything?"

I frowned, seeing how he switched my words around.

Hearing no response, he then glanced back at me. "If it's one thing I hate, kid, it's liars. Don't think I'm stupid. You tell me you suddenly know everyone, when yet you explain to me that you know my own daughter's actions and the reasons beyond it, which would mean you have developed some sort of a relationship with her to know the details. Hell, you even knew where she was, which only tells me you've been in the same area, therefore you should have a good predicting idea to where she would be, possibly being sent away."

The room had remained silent, with his words floating around in the air around both of us. I thought for a moment, not wanting to speak without thinking to ruin my chances. Where WAS Sally?

Finklestein sighed, hearing no response yet again. "My best guess is that she has been sent to a close relative, like you have been, moved around. But the most closest relative she has would be her brother, Igor, who lives in the same house as I do. But, I can't guarantee it, either, because there are many men out there wishing for a women to boss around."

I was about to reply until we heard a "BANG" on the door, making us turn around in surprise. A guard then peeked in, which I had immediately leaned back into the broken locks, pretending to still be stuck.

The guard then warned, "HEY, SHUT UP IN THERE BEFORE WE START ROUND 2. SAME GOES FOR YOU, SKELLINGTON!"

Before either of us can think of a cocky reply, we heard the guard's heavy footsteps disappear away from the door, making the room silent again. We both then glanced at each other, knowing that if we were to have another loud conversation, that'd be the end of it.

Finklestein then said quietly, "I'm pretty sure you know your way around here. What I want you to do is try my house, and if she's not there, do not give up in finding her. I freed you for a reason, and I really think that you can take your throne with some support, which would highly be shown by Sally, maybe others."

"So, is that it? You're just putting me out there to die?" I whispered, making him sound as if he were crazy.

"You're already dead, you can take anything thrown at you. If you've got the will, you've got the action. If you've got a brain, you can think, correctly or not. No matter how bad or good the situation is, as long as you've got legs and arms, you can pull through anything. Even without it, if you've got the guts to at least try, then do it instead of acting like a coward like everyone else. Sally sure did, so it'd be appreciated if you did, too." Finklestein snapped, whispering as well.

My eye sockets widened in realization. Gee, he sure was a motivational speaker.

I then asked in a quiet tone, "Just give me some details and I'll be on my way."

Finklestein nodded as he propped himself up to lean against the wall. He whispered, "Igor isn't like anyone his age. He's really kind and shares the same opinions with Sally. So, I'm pretty sure if you were to act like a slave towards him, he'll treat you correctly. I think you know where I live, since you must know the town well, I assume."

I nodded. "Alright, thank you."

I then looked up at the window, and had stood up, stretching. Hey, wouldn't you if you were sitting for years? I made my way over to the window, surprisingly seeing it face-to-face, being taller than I last was. Finklestein was correct, I can slip through these. I glanced out the window, seeing an empty hallway where others would walk in-and-out.

I then hoisted myself so I was standing on a misplaced brick, being able to slip out of the bars. Before I did, I glanced back at Finklestein, who was attentively watching.

"Will I ever see you again?" I asked.

A pause.

"Maybe. If you find Sally, tell her that I'm sorry." He responded in a relieved tone. I nodded, then slipping out the bars, leaving Finklestein alone in the cage.

* * *

I had to admit, after sitting down for years, it felt good to run. To use my legs. Of course, I didn't have the proper balance at first, but I had gotten used to the old repetitive pattern of using my legs and arms. It felt nice. But, I knew this was no time to smile and have a laugh as I hid in the shadows, preventing any contact with any guards or other prisoners.

If I was correct, an exit would be located across the corridors, past the hallway, and just some ways from there. Unless they had updated or added new interior designs or rooms, I should be easily out in no time. I smirked, watching as guards would unknowingly walk past me, oblivious to even glance in my direction.  
I had to admit, being stuck in a room thinking all the time really can get you to learn new things.

This "hidden" situation thing really was easy, nevertheless useful. I quickly then changed my position as I quietly ran to a different wall and hid in the shadow it provided, glancing from the side of it to see for any more guards. Being stealth had been really difficult for my sore body that had received a number amount of beatings before, but I just sucked it in as I quickly ran to another hiding spot.

It had taken awhile before I heard an alarm go off, signaling for all the guards to run in some destination. I was about to shrug it off and get out of my hiding spot before I heard a loud voice in the intercom announce: "**WARNING: PRISONER #36987 HAS ESCAPED, CAPTURE THEM IMMEDIATELY.**"

I then ran for the exit as quick as I could, and had managed to escape. But, sadly, many guards had remained outside, making me stick to the shadows from the walls. I groaned, I knew it wasn't going to be easy, but, geez, it didn't have to be THIS difficult.

The alarms continued to ring, making guards look in all the directions they can find and grasp their weapons tight, ready to use them. This only made me feel sick as I had carefully made my way through the shadows. If it weren't for my flexibility, I wouldn't be able to hide under small passageways and such. And, thanks to that, I finally had made my way towards an empty field. The same one I had been working in for years.

I ran as fast as my long legs could carry, making it into a shed that had its distance towards the kingdom. Glancing back, seeing the field still empty, I sighed in relief. I then slowly slumped to the ground, dusting off my clothes. It wasn't as much help, thanks to the blood stained on it already from long ago. I glanced up, seeing many farming tools resting on the shelves. I moved out of the shed as quickly as I could, then surveying my surroundings.

As I noted, it was quite deserted. But many tools were left lying on the ground, easy to observe that they were abandoned. _Probably some other fellow "cowards," fleeing from their duties with the guards._ I thought as I had looked at an abandoned shovel. I heard some yelling far out back in the kingdom, and when I looked up, I saw the guards heading back, carrying many weapons. My eye sockets widened and I looked back out in the field, seeing no buildings or civilization anywhere near it.

_Fuck._ I panicked, running out in the deserted field and away from the shed. I ran as far as I could, ignoring my sore limbs pleading for a rest. It was until I felt that I was in the middle of nowhere for when I glanced back. And when I did, nothing had returned my sight. I then looked back in front of me, seeing the same situation. I ended up looking in all directions, praying for a sign of, well, **anything.** But, sadly, nothing appeared.

"Great, I'm a lost, prisoned slave in the middle of nowhere." I muttered to no one. My fists had clenched, holding back the cursing war that was hidden back in my mind. _As long as you don't panic, you'll be fine..._ I kept on telling myself as I then slowly walked in a direction.

After what seemed like an hour of walking in nowhere, my legs had started aching. This was no surprise, I was quite shocked myself for how long they had supported me without hesitation. I paused, restraining to collapse on the ground from where I was standing. Here I was with no plan, no map, no water nor food, no support, and yet no idea to where I was heading.

Yeah, I know, what a genius I am.

_Well, at least I don't need any food or water..._ I shrugged as I slowly headed back on my unplanned trail. This was it. I was all on my own. I actually had never thought of escaping the kingdom, because I knew I'd end up in the situation I was in now. I found it just plain ridiculous to actually escape from your father's kingdom and become a criminal when you already are counted as a slave in society, to end up being sent back to the Hell you escaped. Sure, a moment of freedom, but there is no thought behind it.

I sighed, stopping to catch my breath back. I needed at least a tactic or starting point to get through this. And heading in a direction with no clue to where it will lead was NOT helping. I looked up from the ground, predicting to just see what I had saw for the past hour. But my eye sockets widened in surprise at the sight.

Buildings. Not only buildings, but I could make out figures from the distance to see themselves entering in-and-out of them. **Civilization!** I smiled, but that quickly faded as I realized my own position in life. I looked down, seeing my blood-stained, poorly-made clothes. All too simple to reveal that you were poor and a "coward." I looked back to the city, seeing it remain the same. What city WAS it anyway? Would there be guards lurking in the streets, just like in the poor side? Or many high-class citizens making their way through the streets, mocking the poor? Or, even worse, the "bad" side of town?

Sadly, that was only one thing to figure out.

See, if you didn't know, "cowards" are profitable. Towards anyone that is authorized to own one, or towards the people who gamble for them. Many are just meant for labor and hard work, or some might be to just run errands and do anything simple as that. They are bought, sold, or _killed._ They're all treated as objects that you'd find on a shelf at a store. "Cowards," if anything, are all as slaves. Many use the term "slave," but yet us "slaves," use the term "cowards," because that's how we're logically defined in society. And it sounds more honest to use that nickname than of one you'd automatically think of bossing around.

Many "cowards" are orphans. Or at least the ones that are more depressed. Some orphanages are used where slaves are kept to be taught and trained to perform duties to their "master's" satisfactions. The females are taught for sexual pleasure to satisfy their masters, even the young ones are raised that way, even if they weren't "developed" for such. Not only are they taught for _that,_ but they were also taught to perform duties around the household and take care of infants and such. Those are the females' duties, and they are worth more than of the males.

The males' duties are to work difficult tasks that require strength, will, and intelligence. Many females lack the ability on how to read, write, and think, because they weren't "taught" for those stuff at all. The males would work tasks like building, farming, and mostly outdoor actions. They were counted a lot smarter and wiser than the females, but yet they weren't as expensive. They weren't made for pleasure, but yet they were also taught for sexual things as well. It just wasn't the main focus.

I felt myself stiffen at the thought of Sally giving "pleasure" to anyone. I hadn't realized that before until that I now thought about it. I was used for sexual pleasure before. Being Prince, I had a lot of females my age practically _begging_ for such things. I never returned the feelings nor wanted to even **think** about doing so, but my father had proved otherwise. Sometimes he'd make me...well, seduce them and satisfy them for his own amusement. I had grown quite used to it, but yet I just hated how he'd use me for that. All for his own pleasure. And I **really** despised all the women who had their hands on me. I couldn't slap them away or drive them away, because they'd go to my father and I'd get the whip.

But Sally was another situation. She was so _sweet_ and kind. I really couldn't picture her being forced to do something like that. It was just really **sick.** Of course, since we were both in the orphanage, I knew she was taught to do that and full well knew how to perform such duties. But yet she also proved to me that one day she could _read. _And I was very surprised, but I had never asked. It's how she wrote messages to other "Cowards" and got her word around to get others to agree upon.It was suspicious, yes, but I had never questioned it before.

If "Cowards" were found on the street alone, they would be taken to an orphanage. Sometimes, if they were lucky, they'd have a name tag on them and be taken back to their homes. It was how they couldn't escape. Usually many were escorted through town and had to stay by their masters at all times. But if a "Coward" was on the street alone without in anyone's specific supervision, they would be taken to the orphanage by guards.

Many "Cowards" were easily to be spotted by their clothes. Usually they wore poor-made ones that were quite baggy and stained, nevertheless mostly ruined. It was the state of their looks that they would be recognized. The poor were much older folk and would sit out on the streets. "Cowards" sometimes tried to blend in with them, but for some reason, guards were able to spot out the difference. Sometimes slaves would be barely given any clothes at all, and sometimes they'd go out naked in the streets. Even women. But the non-slaved would wear more appropriate attires and were more wealthy, able to go in shops.

I bit my lip. Not only was I unable to just walk in the streets like I belonged there, but I was also a criminal. Just by a glance at me, the guards would drag me back to the kingdom to my father. And that's worse than an orphanage alone. Somehow I just needed to prevent the small town, or find the house, or maybe even disguise. I may be even to turn back, but that's the kingdom, and I doubt I would want to go back there.

I slowly continued walking so that I was able to see the details of all the buildings, but not close enough for anyone to see me. Finklestein's house, or so as I remembered, was more as a tower with a crooked detail to it. Literally. My eye sockets scanned the buildings in my sight for any resemblance with my definition. I sighed with frustration, seeing none in my sight.

This was going to be harder than I thought.


	3. Chapter 3: Rejoice

I thought for a moment. Surely all that stealth I had used ago wasn't just for show. But, with second thoughts, I shook it off from the fact that it would be too risky to attempt. Many people must inhabit the area already, since from my distance, I could spot out about 30 people.

I sighed as I leaned against a wall. Maybe with-

Wait a minute.

I slowly turned to the wall, to see that it was made out of stone and it had been quite cold. I must've not reacted to it, being in a cold cell for many years. I placed a bony finger on it, tracing a 'J' onto it, for no apparent reason. My fingers were sharp, so it had easily appeared on the wall, even if it was small.

I took a step back, observing it. My eye sockets widened as I realized it was the wall of a building. Not just any building, but of a tower. And not just any tower, but Finklestein's tower!

Shoving these sudden realizations aside, I had suspiciously eyed it. Why was it separated from the town? Nevertheless how it was so far compared to the kingdom. But, yet again, the kingdom had owned a lot of land. I looked up, to see the upper part tilted, just like how I had memorized the tower. But, something had felt quite odd about it...

I pushed the feeling aside as I looked at the other side of it. A door. I found myself staring at it, hesitating. How exactly would I do this...?

_"Oh, hey, I'm a slave that's been locked up in prison for years from the King, and I had just escaped about an hour ago and am probably the most 'Wanted' person in the area, and the person who owns this house had sent me to look for his daughter. May you please let me in?"_

Oh, that would go so swell.

I then stepped on the porch, looking behind me to make sure no one was watching, then had knocked. I waited for a moment. Hearing nothing, I then rang the doorbell, which had echoed in the house. Still nothing.

_What if he's not home? Ah, shit, that'll screw my plan up so much..._ I cursed in my mind as I patiently waited. I was about to give up until I heard the door creak a bit, making me attentively turn my attention towards it.

An eye had looked me, eying(no pun here) me from the skull to my shoes.

I nervously faked a smile. "Erm...Good evening? I-I found myself from working in a nearby field to here, and I am quite lost, and I was wondering if you may, uh, spare me a map or something?"

My lies were terrible, I'd give myself that. The door had creaked back a bit, revealing a bit of the body of the short figure. I heard the figure ask, "Just who are you exactly?"

I cleared my throat. "Name's Jack Skellington."

The door had slammed shut, making my eye sockets widen. I was about to curse inside my head until I heard many lock clicking noises. I stood there, dumbfounded, until the door had opened up entirely, revealing the figure himself.

He was VERY short compared to me, and he had a hunchback. No figure to be named "Igor," I had assumed. One eye looked damaged, being half open, while the other remained widened and transfixed on my attire. He wore a coat that had look damaged and wrinkled, somewhat like the assistants would wear for the Kingdom Staff. He also seemed to fidget a lot, fiddling with his fingers, entwining with one another.

He stepped back into the building, to the side of it. "Come in, come in."

I raised a brow as I cautiously had stepped in. I heard the door slam behind me, making me flinch a bit. Taking the silence that had entered as I approached, I had observed the interior designs of the house. It was mainly made out of stone bricks that were low in temperature, as I can tell by being able to see my breath in the cold mist that had occupied the air in the room.

The floor itself had no different situation. Thank God I at least had shoes to spare. The house was mainly dark, and if it weren't for my ability to see well in dim light, I wouldn't be able to spot out shit. The short figure snapped me back into reality by asking, "So, why is the Pumpkin Prince visiting?"

I turned to him, seeing how he had been watching me the whole time.

I sighed. "Look, I know you'll accuse me of being a liar, but Dr. Finklestein, the owner of this house, if I'm correct, had sent me here to find his daughter, Sally Finklestein."

"You're working for the Kingdom's government?" The figure eyed me in suspicion again.

"What would give you that idea?" I raised a brow.

"The Doctor hasn't returned from his work for awhile now, and he'd be back now. And you, the son of the King himself, have been sent here in barely any supported clothes with the very easily observed features of a Slave."

I looked down at my clothes, already knowing how those were a dead give-a-way. I slowly looked back at the figure, who had a cocky smile.

I sighed, "Look, I am **NOT** working for the King, nor do I ever plan to even show recognition of serving his government. I am actually a "Slave," if you may put it, for his own actions and laws he had set for the world, and I am no different, sir. I have been sent into his prison for years, and Dr. Finklestein was sent into my cell, and had sent me free to search for Sally. So all I may ask and choose to ask is if you may comply or help me in any way to just achieve what the Doctor had sent me for."

The figure raised a brow. "Pretty long words for a Slave."

"Is your name Igor Finklestein?" I quickly asked, shoving his harsh statement to the side.

"Yes." He nodded. I felt my shoulders relax a bit, but shrugged it off. At least part of what I had been doing is right.

"Look, Igor, I am willing to do anything you ask or work, as long as you may please help me find your...sister." I hesitated.

He eyed me for a moment. The silence situated in the room had made it quite tense, nevertheless difficult for me to refrain from breaking eye contact with the short man. I wanted to break the ice by adding any excess information, but had just waited.

A pause.

"Is there any proof of you meeting my father?" Igor asked, leaning on the wall.

"If I didn't call you by your name, sir, I would've asked for it." I gave him a blank stare. "And by your own words of my obvious features of showing I am a slave, that should be pretty much proof of me not lying."

He eyed me again before stating, "Alright, I believe you. But that does not mean my suspicions have been lowered."

I nodded, "Thank you. Now, may you please tell me where Sally is?"

"I'll tell you where she is, _if_ you tell me what you're going to do as soon as you see her."

"Rejoice?" I shrugged. Seeing his stare remain the same, I added, "Look, I'm her...well..."

"Well?" He raised a brow.

"I'm in a relationship with her, or at least before we had been separated. I'm sure she has at least brought me up once."

It took me a moment as I realized the nervousness in my voice had showed at the end. I only had continued to make eye contact with him, hoping he'd shrug it off.

"Wait, so **you're** that Jack?" Igor asked, eyes widened.

"Apparently...?"

"Zero, come here." Igor whistled, as a master would do to its dog. I only raised a brow, trying to piece the name together.

Why was that so...familiar?

A sudden white flash interrupted my thoughts. I then immediately looked over to where the color had came from, to reveal it not too far from me. The color was actually of a puppy with a white sheet for a body and a red collar had been situated around its "neck," to where it had kept the sheet to circle around a head to make it look more as a dog. It didn't have eyes and its ears were quite long.

My eye sockets widened. _Zero._

* * *

-**Flashback**-

_"Oh, he's so cute! What's his name?" Sally asked, giggling as the little puppy had licked her cheek. Jack shoveled the dirt a few more times before responding, "Zero."_

"Zero." Sally repeated, petting the apparition. Zero only had barked excitedly, flying into a few circles in the air before resting on Sally's lap.

Jack just rested his leg onto the edge of the shovel, leaning on the handle of it as he rested his skull onto his hands. He observed as the ragdoll had laughed and smiled at the creature, simply hypnotized by its adorable features that were unconsciously shown to win her heart. He adored her smile and laughter. It seemed to make him more energized to continue the task that had been originally assigned for BOTH of them, but he had taken charge and told her to rest.

She sighed as she continued to pet Zero, who only smiled in return. She then asked, "How did you get him?"

Jack hesitated, still maintaining his balance on the tool. He shrugged, "Well, the animal shelter had given him up and, well, killed him, but he accidentally had the curse inside him and was stuck to be as a ghost apparition of an animal. He was the only pet that contained the curse inside of him, and the crew didn't know what to do with him, so they handed him over to my father. He ended up giving him to me because he didn't care about him and decided that I needed help with my work, so, now I own him."

Sally looked up from the pet and to Jack, who only leaned further onto the shovel. She asked, "So, you named him 'Zero?'"

"Well," Jack started as he got off the shovel and had continued to dig the dirt, seeing how the guards would think to glance from not hearing any dirt being mounted off from the ground. "My Dad named him that number because that's how he was in his own eyes. Zero. Nothing to do with, and the start of the possible contagious curse inside of him. He doesn't really contain any color or special techniques to catch his attention anyway, so that's what he named him."

"Oh. And his collar...?" Sally asked, tugging on the collar itself on the pet. Zero let her do so, proudly huffing his "chest" up, as if he was stronger than the world. Sally only smiled at this.

"I gave to him. I figured to at least have some color on him so he'd stand out. And it also contains a name tag on him with the address to the Kingdom, as my father had added. But he also added my name under the owner, so I guess he was in a good mood. Besides, I don't plan on ever losing him." Jack smiled as he continued his task.

"I bet not. He's a really good dog." Sally complimented, petting the creature once more.

"Yeah," Jack laughed. "I guess he is."

* * *

Zero didn't look in my direction, but had waited by Igor's side, attentively listening for any orders. Igor glanced at me before looking back at the dog.

"Zero, go see if you recognize Jack's scent." Igor ordered, pointing over to me.

Zero looked over at me, and he paused. I knew he wanted to have barked, but refrained himself from doing so, and slowly had hovered over to me. He awkwardly had sniffed me, as if uncomfortable of doing so. The moment my scent had entered his nose, he immediately had barked and hovered over to my face quickly and had licked my skull.

I only pet the dog, calming him down, as I looked over to Igor, who looked at us in awe. I only gave him a knowing look as I removed my skeletal hand off the dog, who panted excitedly.

"Okay, I guess you **aren't** lying for who you say you are." Igor shrugged, motioning for Zero to come back to him. Zero hesitated, then looked at me and had wined, slowly obeying Igor's orders.

"Well, my name IS on his tag." I pointed to the circular golden tag that remained on Zero's collar.

Igor took a moment to look at the tag, then looked back at me with a look on his face. "Okay, okay, you got me. Look, Sally had this dog when she got sent to me from that orphanage. I, honestly, thought that he had belonged to _her,_ and not to anyone else. She always did bring you up on the subject of him, and I thought you were probably introduced to him, is all. And because of that, I knew he'd recognize your scent if you were right or not."

"And I was right?"

"Don't get witty with me." Igor warned.

"Alright, but may I _please_ be told where Sally is?" I asked weakly. Honestly, this would've been a lot better planned.

Igor sighed. "Well, a deal's a deal, I guess. She's upstairs in her room. And I'm guessing you'll be asking where that is...?"

"No, I think I remember." I nodded, heading over to the stairs.

"How?" Igor asked, suspicion in his voice.

"My father." I answered carelessly, working my way through the stairs, oblivious to Zero following close behind me.

I looked at the hallway before me. It was actually a lot more darker and the air felt more damper than downstairs. It reminded me a lot of the cell. Empty, dark, and cold. Hopefully this wasn't much of a prison like my cell was intended to be.

Shaking the thought off, I glanced behind me, to see Zero looking back at me with a sheepish smile. I only smirked as I patted his head, continuing to walk down through the hallway. While passing, I had noticed a lot of scientific equipment and stocked chemicals. It was no surprise, really, but as far as I knew, no scientist workers for my father had ever practiced at home. It was a bit odd, but I just shook the thought off as well.

It took awhile until I reached a door. Unsure if my intentions were correct or not, I then had knocked. Silence had returned my hearing, and I had gotten a bit nervous. I knocked a bit louder again, only to get the same results.

"Sally?" I asked, pushing the door a bit.

Sadly, it had creaked a lot louder than I would have imagined. Zero only whined as he tried to look through the crack of the door that had been visible. Hearing nothing again, I then pushed the door completely open, only for my eye sockets to widen.

It was empty, but yet it had looked as if used a few minutes ago. I started to walk in slowly, a bit cautious for how old the room looked. Many cobwebs and dust had occupied every ounce of the wall, including the corners and furniture.

I raised a brow as I had observed an unused sewing machine. It had looked ready to go, but never touched in years. I took a look around in the rest of the room, seeing how there was only a single bed, closet, a desk, and an entire bookcase. Many things were stacked under the bed, and I could tell by how dark it looked under there.

Zero whined, sniffing out the bed. I ignored this as I had looked at the bookshelf, reading many titles of all the various amounts of the text stacked. It was until Zero had barked was when I turned around.

Zero hovered before me, having a paper tucked in his mouth. I then grabbed it from the dog and had looked at it for myself. Surprisingly, it was the only thing that looked ordinary, without any dust on it or anything of the sort.

My eye sockets narrowed as I had tried to read the small print:

_"Dear beloved brother,_

I have gone out to the town in order for the errands you have told me to run for. I'm wearing my tag incase any of the guards get suspicious.

See you soon.

Love,

Sally

"Great." I muttered. "The one time I come looking for her, she's gone."

Zero whined, showing sympathy. I only chuckled as I had then tossed the paper aside carelessly, which had landed on the desk.

"DID YOU GET HER YET!?" A voice asked from below. I went over to the stairs and had responded, "No, but she's out for errands! I'm counting this as your fault."

"Well, damn, looks like we BOTH can't do nothing right, now can we!?" Came the respond.

I only sighed as I made my way down the stairs, to see Igor munching on some snacks. I realized the brand was dog biscuits.

Obviously not for Zero.

"Well, I pretty much as well be off." I shrugged, heading for the door.

"Where are you gonna' go, smart one?" Igor asked from behind.

I paused.

The guards and police are all over the streets looking for me, and I am pretty sure my father would be, too. Unless he didn't care, which is most likely, but he'd love to get his hands on that whip with me. Plus I technically wasn't "owned" by anyone at the moment, except for my father, but I'm on the run, which can only lead to an Orphanage all over again.

Then what would happen to Sally?

I felt myself look to the side and to the ground. Hearing no response, Igor just smiled in amusement.

"Need a place to stay? As you can tell, this place is pretty non-crowded."

"Sir, I hate to intrude." I went against the idea.

"Look, Prince, I know I'm setting a big deal here, but, quite frankly, I don't give a crap towards the kingdom's government, or any at all to the King. The slave business here is stupid and undefined properly. But, I'd hate to see my sister's-" He coughed. "-"boyfriend," to be carried away by the guards and sent to an orphanage, or ANYTHING. She'd hate me because it'd be my fault, and you know how women get when they want their way."

"Oh, yeah." I nodded. I then frowned, "But, you know the guards and officers will come door-to-door one-by-one once the news gets spread out that far, and if I'm here, they'll notice?"

"Actually, there's a good hiding place here. Are you good at hiding?"

"Only as good as scaring, sir." I smiled.

Igor chuckled and had led me to a different room. The room had seemed quite dark, but soon as he flipped the switch, I saw it more as a dining room.

"And they'll not spot me in a large area like this?" I cocked my head to the side.

"No, no, down here."

I looked towards his voice, to see Igor holding a hidden trapdoor that had been under the dining table rug. It would be extremely hard to spot out unless you'd eye the details of the room. I eyed it as I had walked towards it.

"Looks small." I commented.

"It is." Igor smiled.

"I'm...not small." I looked at him with an obvious expression.

"Not in height, you are. You don't have much width, so you can slip right through here. Besides, it's better than nothing, you know." He gave me a look.

I said nothing as I watched him close it, tugging the rug back in place, so it was hidden from view. He then looked at me, as if waiting me to say something.

"What?" I finally asked, trying to sound innocent.

"If you want to look more formal, you have to get rid of those clothes." Igor observed my attire.

"Now, sir, I don't think we're that far in our relationship." I sarcastically joked.

He rolled his eyes. "My father has some clothes in my back. I think one of those there might fit, if you're up for it?"

I shrugged. "Sure, as long as I'm not intruding or anything."

"Alright, you go down the hall and to the left, that's gonna' be the guestroom, which is open for you to stay in, if you'd like." Igor said before running off.

* * *

I looked out the window of the guestroom, to see citizens lined up at stores or wandering around. I had tried to spot out Sally from the crowd, but failed for about the millionth time.

The guestroom wasn't too bad. It had a bed, mirror, desk, closet, almost everything I had never gotten. It was luxurious to me, and I never had complained, even if the bed was about 99% of dust. The window was what fascinated me the most, with it looking so plain I was stuck to it. It was clear and had the best view of the village from afar.

Igor had given me more proper clothes. I had worn a black-and-white striped shirt with black pants, but still kept my shoes. I also wore a jacket he had found that was way too small for anyone else, but it fit me perfectly. I had cleaned up shortly after that, and if no one knew who I was, I'd look like an average citizen.

Well, if it weren't for the bruises and damages that had scarred onto my skull. Below the clothing, you can spot many broken bones and blood stains on them that you'd know I was a "coward." But it didn't matter. At least not to me.

I was actually getting concerned about Sally being out for long. Igor didn't react differently towards it, mostly giving me the signal that it had been ordinary. But shouldn't someone be out there HELPING her? Or at least there to guard her? It really bugged me. Cruel people were out on the streets targeting anyone in their sight, yet someone lets an innocent "coward" on the streets alone and not act worried at all.

It really bugged me. That's how I'll put it. Zero whined as he nudged the chair I was sitting on, mostly incorrectly. I didn't bother to look at the dog but continued to stare out the window, deep in thought. I eventually let out a sigh as I looked to Zero, who had fallen asleep beside the chair curled in a ball.

I really didn't know what I was doing. Here I was born, then killed, then worked for labor as a slave, fell in love with a girl, got moved around, got stuck in a cell for years, had escaped, went into stranger's home, and yet am waiting back for the girl.

This wasn't like me at all.

I never chose my life. I never asked for it, either. I never asked for them to just take it away. To give a curse inside my body to live forever after death until I'm resulted to dust. I never asked to have sex with many women for no legitimate reason. And I never asked for my mother to give birth to a girl.

Nevertheless for her death. I never asked for those things, yet here they are shoved down my throat. Life was cruel like that, sometimes. But it's either you act cruel towards it, or just go with it. Maybe if you're tough enough, _change_ it.

But who was tough enough to do an act like that now in society?

I frowned, scanning the crowds once more. Failing yet again, I stood up from the chair and had sat on the bed, staring at the floor. What if something happened to Sally? What if...she got sent to an orphanage again? What if-

My thoughts were interrupted with a knock on the door. I muttered a 'come in,' and Igor had entered, wearing a different outfit than of last time. It had a few weird color stains on it, but my best guess would be with him doing some scientific experiments.

Igor looked at me with a concerned look. "What are you worrying about? I said Sally's fine."

"You wouldn't know that for sure." I carelessly said, shifting my position on the bed. Zero's eyes had opened, but closed shortly.

Igor sighed, "She usually takes forever, I'm sure she'll be back sometime. In the meantime, it's almost dark out, so you should get some rest."

"I can't get rest if it's almost dark out and Sally's still out. Don't you have common sense?" I asked, making it sound as if Igor was crazy.

"Look, if you're so worried, head out and find her." Igor rolled his eyes.

My eyes sockets widened in surprise. "What?"

"Well, you said it yourself, it's almost dark out, and she might need company. Just head out and find her." Igor shrugged.

"Are you mad, man!?" I stood up, waking Zero. "I'm on the run, the guards and cops are after me, yet here you are inviting me to walk on the streets alone!?"

"You're not my problem." Igor looked at me. "You're your own problem. Besides, I'm only allowing you here for Sally's concern. I can kick you out of here out of time, even if Finklestein had sent you here or not. Besides, I'm sure you can just sneak past the guards during night time and find her by yourself. No one but you is going against that."

I raised my jaw to say something, but slowly had closed it at the loss of words.

Igor just sighed, "You don't look like a slave to me, and I bet half the guards don't even know what you look like. That hoodie of yours has a hood, you'd better as well use it. During night time, less citizens are there in town, so it'd be best if you left now and looked for her."

And with that, he walked out the door, leaving me standing and staring at the wall, replaying his words inside of my head.

* * *

***TRIP***

_Ah, son of a bitch!_ I cursed to myself as I quickly stood up, brushing the dirt off of the borrowed-clean hoodie I wore. Who knew how many hidden vines would trip you in tall grass?

Shrugging the non-answered question aside, I then continued to travel towards the city. Cricket chirps was the only thing I had heard as I continued to walk into the village. When I got there, the streets were empty. Lanterns hung on the walls of shops still had been lightened, but they were becoming dim. I narrowed my eye sockets in confusion.

Where WAS everybody?

It isn't too late just yet, and there should at least be one crowd of people still shopping. Nevertheless with guards or cops still needing to roam around the empty streets.

I found myself just standing there, and continued to walk, trying to get any possible suspicions dropped. My hood had covered most of my skull, and I was wearing all black, being hard to spot in the dark. And that's just what I had in mind. I looked out into a store that didn't have their curtains closed, and had tried to spot Sally in there from my distance.

Seeing no results, I sighed as I continued to another store, only to get the same responding answer. This pattern seemed to keep up as I had then circled every shop, still not spotting the girl.

I felt my skull getting a bit increase in temperature as I sighed impatiently. Where the fuck was Sally? How hard is it to spot a girl with red hair in the dark? Either I'm going color blind or she's not here.

And I am really hoping that the second option has more truth than of the first. I heard a sudden female scream come from the far left side of me. I felt my legs then rush to the source in a hurry.

-(Out from Jack's P.O.V.)

"Please...leave me alone." A girl sobbed as she backed into an alleyway from a group that had been circling her. The man, who was in charge of the group, only tsked, closing her in more. She felt the tears running down from her eyes and cheeks as she ended up being cornered onto the wall. She desperately looked to her left, to the right, hoping for an escape plan.

The man only smirked, looking to his men, who laughed along to the joke. He then looked back at the innocent girl, who looked dead afraid. "So, you're a "Slave," too? Seems that all the pretty ones are either taken or slaves."

She narrowed her eyes and stood up more confident. "I'm a Coward, not a "Slave," sir."

He narrowed his own eyes as he then took a step towards the girl, taking out his pocketknife from his jacket. "Oh, lookie here, little "dolly" has the guts to speak back. Getting a little bit too confident, are we?"

She only cried a bit more, backing up to the wall as far as she could. She peeked behind the man to his crew, who only blocked her only escape, looking dead straight back at her.

"You know what I do to gorgeous women like you, "dollface?" The man chuckled, just inches away from her body.

She didn't respond, but only had nervously looked back at him, completely helpless.

"I **cut** them. They like it. They like the new feeling to not ever having a face again, and I only think that you would desire the same privilege, huh, hon?" The man asked, getting close enough so that he can rest the blade onto her cheek. Using his wrist, he quickly chucked it to the left, to successfully cut the ounce of skin the blade had once been resting on.

She flinched, crying even more from the pain. The man only smiled at this, loving to see her pain. "Looks like you're liking it already, huh? Maybe after this we can-"

"**Get. The. Hell. Away. From. Her.**"

All of them had turned around while Sally looked in the direction past the man's face, to reveal the outline of an unknown teen wearing a hoodie. The woman narrowed her eyes, trying to get a good look of the face the figure had belonged to, but failed from it being hidden.

The man took a step away from the girl, and she had relaxed a bit. He had a cocky smile, "Oh, you want to join us? Well, this girl's mine, so beat it."

The tall figure only chuckled, taking a step forward, ignoring the many threatening looks he was getting from the man's crew. "I don't think you understand, kind sir, but this girl isn't property, and she doesn't belong to anyone but of herself."

The female narrowed her eyes even more, focusing all her attention on the figure. Why was that voice so...familiar? And why did it bring her goosebumps just from the sound of it?

The man only scoffed, smiling in disbelief. "Who do you think you are, telling me what to do? I said ** beat it, kid.**"

The figure only took a step forward, making the crowd before him tense up. "No, you better get the hell out of here before I **kick your ass**. That is, if you still have the guts to leave."

The man's eyes widened, then had narrowed. "Don't wanna leave? Fine. Boys, get rid of him for me."

As called, the men had then charged for the figure. The figure seemed to not react but had then jumped and disappeared in thin air, or so as they thought. They all looked around in confusion until one of the men felt a tap on their shoulder. The looked around, then had felt a fist jam right into their face, flinging them down onto the pavement below.

Another man charged at the figure, only to end up being grabbed by him and flung onto the wall. A cracking noise was heard as the man slowly slid down from the wall and fell onto the floor. He quickly got up, a little trouble from his spine, but had charged again. Another man had done the same thing from the opposite side of the figure. The tall figure just jumped, making the two slam into each other, falling onto the floor.

The other man, who had slid on the pavement, then stood up and ran at the figure. The man smirked, seeing the unknown teen facing the other side to the other men, and had then tried ramming into his back side. He failed as the figure had used his leg to trip him, grabbing one of them charging at him, and throwing him right on top of the poor guy.

One of the other men had charged at the figure, who was unaware, and slammed him onto the wall. His hoodie remained on, still blocking his face. The man sent had punched the tall person a few times before the figure had kicked him the balls, making him wince and fall to the floor.

The leader of the group sighed with irritation and had charged at the figure himself. The figure then had charged back. They were about to slam into each others' heads until the figure had slid down between the legs of the leader, making him confusingly look back. The leader ended up slamming into the wall, completely unaware of its presence.

Taking the moment of having the leader's guard down, the figure then had tripped him and slammed right on top of him on the floor, making blood fling out from his mouth at the pain. The leader kicked the figure, making him slightly lose his balance. The leader, taking his change, then had pushed him onto the floor and had sat on top of him, sending his fist right to the person's hidden face.

His plan backfired as his fist had hit the person. He huffed in pain, grasping his bleeding wrist from the sudden hard presence of the person's skull. The figure then had flipped the leader so that he was on the ground and that he was on top of him, returning the same gesture, successfully breaking his nose.

He continued this as his face had gotten more damaged. The leader tried to fight back, but the teen had slammed his arms and legs against the ground when attempted. He kicked the leader in a variety of places, but kicked him more roughly straight into his balls. The figure had decided to stop once he saw blood form on many parts of his body. He then stood up, only to see the leader weakly coughing up blood and slowly sitting up.

The teen looked behind him, expecting to see the rest of the crew ready to fight, but saw the alleyway empty. He smirked, seeing how the leader's own crew were cowards for themselves. A moan interrupted his thoughts as he looked back to the leader, seeing him laying back onto the floor, pocketknife in hand, which he had attempted to use on the teen a variety amount of times.

The figure walked to the side of the leader, amused. The leader weakly looked up at him. He then coughed a bit more blood before stating softly, "Kill me."

"What?" The teen asked in surprise.

"Kill me, you're already half way there." The leader coughed a few more times.

The figure said nothing but leaned down so he was close to the leader, but still keeping his distance. He slammed his hand onto the leader's arm with the pocketknife, firmly pressing it onto the cold pavement below. He saw blood start to leak from his arm, due to the person's surprisingly sharp finger or fingernails.

The teen then looked straight into the leader's eye, making him nervously look back.

The teen then spoke, "If you _ever_ even ATTEMPT to jump this girl again, I **will** look for you and kill you then. And don't think when you're even 300 steps away from this place that I can't _see_ or _hear_ you, because I can. Now go run off with the rest of your damn pussy-ass crew, you got that!?"

The leader weakly nodded. The teen then grabbed the pocketknife from his hand and threw it across the alleyway, nowhere near the poor girl, who was huddled in the corner to prevent seeing the fight. The leader then slowly got up and ran off as fast as he could, leaving the alleyway silent and to the two figures.

The teen looked to the girl, who was sobbing. She then weakly looked up, "Please, don't hurt me."

The figure only shook his head in amusement. "I thought you were stronger than this, Sal."

Sally's eyes widened as she observed the figure, tears still damp. "H-How do you know my name?"

The teen slowly removed his hood, stepping closer to the girl. Once it had been removed, the skeleton gave her his trademarked grin.

Sally immediately stood up, looking at him in disbelief. "J-Jack?"

"That's my name." Jack smirked, shrugging. He was about to speak again until the ragdoll had then ran to him and into his arms, almost making him fall over, but he kept his stance. Sally had sobbed into his chest, making Jack caress her hair in comfort.

"I thought you were dead." She commented, face still buried into his chest.

"I am dead." Jack smiled.

Sally weakly smiled back, but only frowned. "I mean, I thought you were..._gone._"

"Well, I'm right here, aren't I?" Jack gave her a look.

Sally only smiled for real and had pressed her lips onto his, making him awkwardly lean down for her to reach. Jack only deepened the kiss, using his skeletal hand to push her forward while the other arm had wrapped around her waist. As soon as they parted, Sally smiled as they both made (somewhat)eye contact.

Her smile vanished. "W-What are you doing out here?"

Jack took a breath, "I'll explain that to you once we get back home-" He held out a skeletal hand towards her. "-Shall we?"


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Hey, sorry, guys...I've kind of lost touch with this story for a bit, but I did have it in progress. I will be working on other stories of mine, so this might sit awhile, just letting you know beforehand. I'll write it once I get back in the mood of the story, like in Chapter 1, but, for now, I apologize if any taste have been left in this Chapter from the previous or such. I'll try to get that fixed, usually when I'm depressed I can do another chapter like the first one, but try to hang in there.

Thanks for the reviews.

* * *

My brain couldn't even analyze towards what I was actually doing as I had walked down the empty streets with Sally by my side. I, in fact, wasn't even understanding what I had done by then. But, oh, I knew. I knew that the story to what I did would be in the newspapers the next day. I knew they would tell the cops. I knew what I did was wrong and way out of league for my position in society.

I glanced down towards Sally, who was silent as she had walked by my side. She seemed to stumble a bit, but since we were holding hands, she was supported at every moment. I felt myself frown beneath my hood, seeing how the poor girl was stuck with such a scrawny body compared to her original one.

Had Finklestein done the right thing? I really couldn't judge it that well, nor comprehend such a question. If I would have been in his position, I would've never attempted to save her. I mean, personally speaking from my conscience, I would, but I felt I would have failed. Finklestein had saved her brain, and gave her the half life she was living at that exact moment. I wouldn't be able to attempt to make a person from scraps of cloth, anyway.

He is a genius, I'll leave it at that. It just felt so sad to see such a brilliant man be beaten down and become crippled just because he had saved so many lives. For a good purpose, yes, but to my father, he had betrayed his own position. He did what he should, but he wanted his own right. And apparently none of us could reserve such a marvelous thing.

I realized I had been staring and awkwardly looked back in front of me, trying to push the sudden thoughts aside. What mattered was for me to stay camouflaged and to be able to get back to Finklestein's tower with Sally by my side. After all, I had completed my plan, but what was more difficult was thinking of what to do next. I'm on the run, and having Sally by my side only makes it more complex than staying in a cell alone.

"Jack, are you okay?" Sally asked, keeping her voice relatively quiet.

I hesitated. I then looked at her, "Yeah, just...thinking..."

"About what?" She asked.

"Just...well, Sally, are you single?"

She stopped in her tracks, making me stop as well. She seemed to eye my serious expression.

She gave me a look. "Jack, you're my boyfriend. Why?"

"I just thought you would have moved on, is all." I shrugged, continuing to walk, making her continue as well.

She seemed confused. "Jack, I would've waited for you for years. I could never find anyone as great as you."

"I'm sure there's some other "Coward" out there that's as great as me. Not in authority or anything, but way more...well, _alive._"

I saw her shake her head. "Jack, I don't care if you're dead or not. I love you for _you._"

I took a breath. "Sally, I have to tell you something."

"And what would that be?"

"My father is King."

"Oh, I know."

I stopped this time, making her stop as well. I gave her a confused look, "You _knew_?"

"Well, actually, I heard about it after you were sent away for the whipping incident. At first, I was real angry for you not telling me, but I soon realized that whether your father may be reputable or not, you're still a different person than him. He treated you very harshly and practically threw you anywhere, so I had figured that you gave no respect nor gratitude towards him, while the rest of the kingdom may. You hated his ways like I did, and I figured that it wasn't your fault for his own actions." She explained, shrugging.

My voice grew softer. "He thinks it is."

"How so?" She looked at me, her grip on my bony hand tightening.

"I'll tell you once we get you home, I really hate being out like this." I quickly said, continuing to walk on the path. Sally looked like she wanted to stop me, but only had let me guide her by her gentle hand.

"Igor, we're home!" Sally announced cheerfully as I had closed the doors behind us. The noise echoed over the silence, making us stand awkwardly in the dark. I took off my hood and then the jacket, carelessly setting it aside. Sally was a bit confused, but moved to the kitchen, making me quickly follow.

Zero, who had been nibbling on a bone before we came in, looked up from his task. A smile went onto the dog's face and he quickly hovered to Sally, licking her face. Sally only calmed the dog down as she gently pet the apparition. She then looked around, seeing the room empty, and onto the living room. I stayed in the kitchen while Zero followed Sally, observing the cabinets I had never stopped to...well, observe.

I heard a high-pitch female giggle, and I then quickly looked into the living room, to see Sally hugging Igor, knocking the wind out of him. I just shrugged as I looked back to the cabinets, uninterested. It was only a matter of time until I heard Sally say from the living room:

"Jack, come here!"

I sighed as I then walked into the room, to see Sally sitting on the couch. She eagerly tapped the empty spot next to her. I understood the signal as I then sat next to her, knees up to about my chest, since of my height.

She then looked at me with a neutral expression. I raised a brow, seeing how her emotions can really switch easily. It took her awhile from staring at the features of my face until she said, "Now, can you tell me why it's your fault?"

Zero came out of nowhere and sat between us, getting comfortable from our temperature. Mine was pretty cold, figuring I have no temperature, while Sally must've been somewhat cold.

I sighed, "Well, when I was born, my father had wanted a daughter, and instead he had gotten a son, so he blamed my mother for the "accident" and had killed her the day after. He apparently got into denial and had ended up depressed that he felt the anger and betrayed feeling inside of him shouldn't be just torturing him, but to let the rest of society feel how he was.

"He knew he couldn't do much to make the laws effective to make people that depressed, rather than raising taxes, so he had taken the time to observe how people had acted commonly. He took note of the poor being taken well care of by shelters and donations, the rich being looked up to, and mostly how everything, well, _used_ to be. He found all the actions unfair and had decided that the poor didn't deserve any donations or attention as they already had did.

"So, by his own rules behind his position, he decided to renew them his own way and by then, he made slavery legal and had encouraged it by then. Around that time, the government had caught on and made it official, though even how they went against it, but my father was clever on changing all the guidelines for "renewing," and how they never put rules beyond that that had linked with his own needed desire."

I hesitated, looking at Sally. She just nodded, showing she understood, and for a sign for me to continue. I took a breath, "So that's how he thinks it's my own fault. My own birth."

"Well, then, he's stupid." Sally held my hand.

I only chuckled. Sally then frowned, "But, Jack, they'll kill you for what you did back there."

"I'm already dead. What more damage could they do?" I shrugged. Sally remained silent, and I could tell she was thinking of an argument.

"Besides," I grabbed both of her hands. "As long as I'm with you, I really don't care what happens to me."

Sally blushed. "Cute."

I just gave her a playful wink. Man, did it feel good to actually..._feel._

Sally only smiled as she shook her head. She then looked up at me. "So...what DID happen to you after you were taken away?"

"Well," I shrugged, looking at Zero, who was asleep. "My father was absolutely sick of me, then had whipped me until I couldn't stand, and put me in a cell, chained to a wall. I had been there for awhile, years probably, until...your father came."

Her eyes widened. "M-My father?"

I raised her hands so that they were between us. "Sally, he's very sorry for what he-"

"**He isn't sorry.**" She snapped, yanking her hands out from my grasp. "He treated me like dirt. Like I was useless. Jack, he **killed** me. Then he had thought that he took me for granted, cleaning his damn house and polishing his shoes, so he brought me back to life and made me continue my work. You know how _sick_ that is!?"

Zero woke up, looking confusingly back-and-forth at us. I only reached out for her. "Sally-"

"-No, Jack. I know you've been gone forever, but telling me that my father was sorry for that, really puts my trust in you down." She snapped again, standing up, eyes locked with mine.

I only stood up, towering over her, but she still remained on her feet. "Look, Sally, just listen-"

"No, I'm sorry, Jack, but I'm going to bed. It's been a long day." She shook her head, stomping out of the room. I heard her trip, and I ran to help her, but she only stood up and gave me a glare before heading upstairs, vanishing out of my sight.

I felt myself just standing there and staring at the spot where she had been a moment ago. I didn't even notice Zero come and looked up at me with sympathy. I slowly brought my arms down and stood up more properly, then stared at the ground. I felt myself sit down, with my body somehow knowing that a bench was just right behind me.

I heard a voice ask from in front of me. "So, how'd it go?"

I looked up, to see Igor with a cocky smile.

I frowned. "How did you think it went?"

"Pretty good. Why?"

I gave him a look.

"Alright, alright, so I've heard some yelling. But, I think she'll get over it. She was real depressed when you were gone, so you just showing up out of nowhere must be hard on her."

"You don't get it." I murmured. "I almost killed a guy for her."

"Really?" Igor asked, expression unchanged.

"She was being jumped by some gang. There were at least 4-5 of them, including their leader, and I had taken them all down. The leader was going to hurt Sally, and I just...well, you can tell by the blood stains on the jacket back there." I shrugged.

"Hmm." Igor nodded.

"Oh, and I also tried to tell her that her father-"

"What?" Igor asked, eyes widened.

"What?"

"You tried to tell her about my father? Look, Jared-"

"It's _Jack._"

"Jim," Igor continued. "_Never_ tell Sally about Finklestein. She really has started to hate him lately because of how protective he has gotten, but all she sees is hard labor just like any other slave. Nevertheless how he had whipped her at one point, but that was because she snapped at him, and...well...My point be, she's real mad at Finklestein, and she really doesn't want to hear about him right now."

"But, he told me to tell her that he's sorry." I argued. "He's the reason why I'm here right now."

"Well, good luck telling her." Igor shrugged. "Better get some rest, you look _restless._ Ha? Get it?"

I gave him a look.

"Erm, anyway, feel free to use one of the guest rooms upstairs. Hopefully Finklestein's alright. And make sure to talk to Sally once it's a good time, alright?" Igor nodded. He then walked out, leaving me alone with Zero by my side.

_"Alright, now, what is the number one rule to NOT do?"_

I thought for a moment. I slowly responded, "To...not...go against the rules?"

"Correct."

I did a little victor dance, successfully making a giggle come out of the figure before me. I smiled as I looked at the figure, easily recognizing her features that were relatable to mine. She had blonde hair that always hung loosely when tucked behind her ears, and as she had worn a beautiful dress. She had been sitting on a bench before me while I sat on the ground. In her hand was the "Pumpkin Ruling Handbook," for what my father had obeyed, as well as the rest of the citizens in town.

A butler had came and offered her a drink, but she politely refused, smiling as she turned back to me. I only had looked at the ground, thinking about...well, I didn't really know. Her lovely voice snapped me out of my trance.

"Jack?"

I looked up, to see her warm smile shining brighter than the sun. I responded, "Yes, Mom?"

She then shut the book and handed it out to me. "I want you to take this."

I didn't hesitate to take it, but then had almost dropped it from the sudden weight increase. Getting a good grip, I looked back up at her. "Why, Ma?"

"Because always remember the good from the wrong. Always remember what's right and what's wrong, and to never cross the line from between. If something is wrong but tells you it's right, think otherwise, for the line should remain distant with common sense by its side. If something is right but tells you otherwise, pick up the line and set it for yourself. Never let something or someone tell you otherwise, for what you have learned that came with honestly shall be remembered, and for what had been taught wrong shall be forgotten."

I smiled. "Thanks, Mom."

"Oh, and one more thing, son?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

I was about to respond until I saw her then collapse off the bench. I worriedly ran to her side, shaking her. "Mom?"

No response.

"Mom?"

"MOM!"

**BANG!**

"AH!" I sudden felt myself yell aloud. I moved my bony hands to my skull, rubbing the damaged place. I looked up, to see the ceiling greet my not-so-happy look.

I looked around the room, seeing it completely dark and silent. I looked down, to see I was sitting up in covers from a bed. Even if I couldn't provide so, I felt myself sweat from the heat of the room.

I slowly got out from the bed, but had winced, feeling the sore movements of my bones. Perhaps my position on the chains a day ago had gotten my body used to it than of the proper position for?

Shrugging it off, I made my way to the window, and had opened it slightly. Cold air gracefully entered the room, while the hot volume had left. I sighed happily. Much better.

I then looked back, to see an old clock. It had read: "3:45."

I raised a brow, slowly turning back to the window. Outside of it, I just saw tall, dead grass, as I had first saw when I had arrived. I looked up, to see much fog block the sight of the buildings from afar. I knew that if I could see past that, the kingdom would be sitting there.

I looked down to the ground, analyzing my dream. I knew it was fake, because I was not old enough to speak by myself, nor understand what my mother had said when she was alive, but why did it feel so..._real?_ And I never had heard that quote anywhere else before, so I knew it must've been spoken by someone familiar, or perhaps even her.

But...the handbook was real, of course. The main rule to not do was to not go against the rules. Obvious, of course. But, yet again, the details of her looked so familiar and reminded me so much of her. I never really got a good look of the girl, only being there for 1 day when she was alive, but yet I think that was how she actually looked.

_Handbook. Wrong. Right. Rule. Against._ All these words flowed through my mind. I felt my fists clench in annoyance. What did they mean? I absolutely hated it when I couldn't understand something. Especially the things so obvious.

My eye sockets widened. "That's it!" I announced quietly to no one in particular. I then looked around the room eagerly, looking for a light source. Seeing a lamp, I turned it on. I stood there, a bit blinded for a minute, but continued as I looked at the bookshelf that sat in the room.

Quickly skimming through titles, it didn't take too long until I found the "Pumpkin Ruling Handbook" itself. I grabbed it, blew the dust off of it, and then sat nearby the lamp. I quickly opened the page to the Table of Contents. I remembered a lot of what's in it.

_Surely he shouldn't have "renewed" or changed this, right?_ I thought to myself as I flipped a few pages. It was until I got to a specific section my eye sockets had widened in disbelief.

"Hey, Johnny, breakfast is ready." Igor announced, knocking on my door. I just groaned, slowly opening my eye sockets as I blinked them repeatedly. I looked down, to see the handbook open, the pages a bit wrinkled from my skull's presence.

I grit my teeth when I moved, since my neck and back were _killing_ me. I heard Igor knock again, which made me wince from the sudden loud noise.

"Are you dead in there or not?" I heard the sarcasm in his voice. I rolled my imaginary eyes, standing up.

"Yeah, I'll be there in a minute." I assured. Soon as I heard the man's footsteps disappear from the hallway, I turned back to the book.

Luckily, the text on the pages didn't appear to look smudged or faded. Closing the handbook and tossing it aside, I then looked out the window, that had remained a bit open. Light was shining through, quite bright, and the fog that had once occupied my vision last night had vanished. From my distance, I was able to see the outlines of buildings from the town afar.

_ Thank God we're separated from it._ I thought as I shook my head, looking in a nearby mirror. My eye sockets had winded, seeing how it was the first time I looked at myself since of the fight.

My skull remained it's bright white color, as always, but my nose had appeared to be bent a bit, which would've remained very painful towards the person who would do such a thing, seeing how a skull was VERY hard. The side of my skull had many dents, and from the other side, I could spot out about 4 cracks, dangerously close to the top of my skull, where my brain would remain.

A few blood marks stained the side of my skull, and many parts of my clothing. I remembered my normal ragged outfit having no difference, except being poorly thin and made. Nevertheless with a hideous dark brown color. I shook the thought off, seeing how fashion statements weren't really my style, anyhow.

As soon as I had walked out of the room and closed the door, a very delightful scent seemed to come from downstairs. I already knew that it was the cause of the food I had been warned about, so I just slowly had made my way down the stairs and into the kitchen. Igor was already settled onto the table and helping himself, while Zero nibbled on a bone in the corner of the room. Sally was over in the kitchen area, making the rest of the food.

I frowned and hesitated, wondering what to say before she'd spot me. It seemed that my thoughts were a bit slow when I saw Sally giving me...well, not entirely angry, but yet of a neutral stare. She quickly snapped out of it as she continued to prepare a plate. Mostly to my guess that it'd be mine, since she pretty much had everything I liked on the plate.

_Okay, hopefully good mood._ I thought as I then walked into the room fully, closing the door slowly behind me. I nervously walked in front of her, at least gaining her attention.

"Look, Sally, I'm sorry if I had upset you last night-" I started until she looked down and continued her task.

"I know, I'm sorry for getting mad. I guess I'm still in denial, with Finklestein not coming back for awhile, but I shouldn't have snapped at you for that." She apologized, tone remaining neutral.

I stood there, observing her actions and words. She seemed...well, different. Nothing to be surprised about, seeing how through years, people tend to change, but something seemed odd about her that wasn't last night.

What was it?

"Here's your breakfast. I'm pretty sure you haven't ate in awhile, right?" She said, handing me a plate. I grabbed it slowly, unaffected by the weight by it, but my eye sockets remained transfixed on her with a very confused expression. I must've not realized it as she then looked back at me with the same look.

"What?" I asked.

"You just look...well, like you don't believe me or something." Sally nervously shrugged.

"Look, I'd like to believe that, but yet something's...I'm not sure." I looked to the ground.

"Jack, if something's troubling you-"

"-You'd talk about in the other room, where someone isn't trying to read the newspaper." Came a voice from behind us. We both looked back, seeing Igor impatiently flip the large newspaper, giving us an annoyed stare.

"Erm...right..." I slowly turned back to the girl, whose cheeks had turned a bit red.

I hid a smile as I then got a better grip on my plate. I turned to her completely, giving her a serious look. "Mind meeting me in your Living Room after you're done?"

Sally looked a bit surprised, but yet intrigued. "Alright."

Taking my answer, I then walked out of the room rather slowly, a bit less energized from the lack of sleep, nevertheless with that neck and back of mine.

I sat on a chair rather lazily, staring at the ceiling in thought. My arm hung from the right side of the chair, while my other remained on my chest. I felt my eye sockets narrow for no sudden reason. My mind was blank, but yet I felt as if millions of thoughts wouldn't stop bugging me.

It was until I felt a presence then come out of nowhere onto my hand that hung from the chair. I quickly snapped it back, eying the spot where I felt the presence, only to see a ghost dog looked back at me with a sheepish smile.

I relaxed a bit, but remained a bit tense. I apologized, "Sorry, Zero, you startled me a bit, there."

He whined, as if saying, "I'm sorry, Master." I only shook my head as I sat up more properly in the chair, feeling as if I were in a throne. I slumped, feeling a bit uncomfortable by the thought. I'd like to be Pumpkin King one day, but picturing myself in the present throne wasn't as graceful as I'd imagine years ago. Things would be different, yes, but until my father decides to hand me the throne fully or have someone run against him, it'd be a dream. As long as his immortality is permanent and/or he rots to dust, he'll do anything to prevent such a thing to happen.

I felt a smile creep up onto my skull from a thought in mind. The same thought that I had been trying to hide from blurting out of my mouth. Not yet, but patience is a pain in the ass, anyway.

A cough broke my thoughts. I turned to it, to see Sally standing there. She looked a bit misplaced, but I shoved the thought aside.

I patted the available spot near me, giving her a signal. She walked towards me, but ended up sitting on the couch from across from me, crossing her legs.

I smiled in amusement. "Keeping our distance, aren't we?"

She only frowned. "It's been a long time, Jack, and I'm real tired. So, what did you like to discuss?"

I sat up and leaned outwards, in a less serious manner, but only grinned. Zero looked up at me, a bit confused.

I smiled. "The Handbook."

She arched a brow. "What about it?"

"Subsection of Royal Family Standards & Qualities: Limitations and Expectations for the requirements of high sufficiency to be able to call the throne from the position of the Prince/Princess. Stating that the person must be etiquette to their fellow citizens and authorities, nevertheless with enough knowledge to obtain such position. Number 4-B rule, stating by words: "If the Prince/Princess meets such requirements and are as from adequate to their upcoming position/rules, thou are allowed to obtain higher level from action to overthrow the King. May be permitted to act if King has gone against any official marked rules on purpose, or have attempted to change the permanent words of thy Handbook."

Her eyes widened, jaw falling a bit in surprise. She snapped out of it by asking, "A-And your father has done what to allow you to do so..?"

I leaned back in the chair. "He's gone against the rule to not go against the rules, which from the rule states that every citizen has their own right to labor by will and their own position from father to son, maiden to mother, and so on. Slavery is against, and all by, the handbook, which states Freedom otherwise from what he has done. He's attempted to change the book at least 7 times, Sally."

The room remained silent, with my words floating in the air. She seemed to look at the ground, a bit hesitant, registering my words. She looked back up at me, "And how do you plan to "overthrow" your father...?"

It was my turn to pause as I sat more properly in the chair. I nervously shrugged, "Ah, well, weren't you the one that wanted to do it in the first place?"

She stopped and stared at me. "C-Come again?"

I shrugged, "Weren't you the one that convinced many other "Cowards" to believe your side against my father and to overthrow him one day?"

"W-What does that have to do with anything?" Her lip quivered.

"With that be, we might just be able to have our own group to help overthrow my father. In the Handbook, it is only allowed for the Prince and King to fight one-on-one with no specific help whatsoever, but since I am a criminal, I can't just walk in declaring a fight. He has every right to deny it, but yet I have to figure out a way to show him that he doesn't tower over me in any way for me to be called as below of him. And I can do that by figuring out a way to sneak into the kingdom, which I already have a plan for already."

Her eyes widened. "That's suicidal."

I gave her a look. "I'm already dead."

"B-But I'm not, and the others might not be, too." She stuttered, sounding afraid.

I raised a brow at her tone. She certainly couldn't be as much as a coward as she was looked to, right?

"Sally, you're strong. You're stronger than you wish to believe yourself as you are. And if we all do work together and use the thing that we all use to survive, we'll survive. All it needs is common sense and enough wit to get through anything. Like the cat and the mouse. Besides, if we die, we keep on going because of that curse."

"Right." She murmured, her eyes falling onto the ground. She then looked up. "But what about you? Your father's really strong, from what I hear."

"I even up with him in anyway. Except I think more, which is the key to survival than of strength." I shrugged, "But, in a more significant matter, your father is very sorry with all his heart."

I quickly had jumped from my seat and placed my skeletal finger onto her lips, seeing how she was just about to argue. "-And don't try to say otherwise. I was with him, and the reason why he killed you was for a good purpose. My father hated you, and he wanted you dead because of how smart you were to convince others against him. He was afraid. Afraid his own people would take advantage of himself to overthrow him. And you were a step ahead of him, so he told Finklestein to kill you."

I removed my skeletal finger, to surprisingly see her just staring in awe at me. I continued, "Your father did not want to kill a sweet daughter like you. He was one of those heartless people that labored their own children, yes, but to kill you was way off course. He killed you and told my father, which he had gotten promoted. He then saved your brain and re-built you, but with a cloth body, so you would be able to still keep your smart thoughts, but your features and body should be no matter towards you, nor anyone else.

"He continued doing what he had done before in order to protect you and secure you from the world. Away from my father to ever knowing that you would still be alive and continue convincing others. Being the brave person you are, in and out. He never let you outside on his watch, and I know Igor is a different story, from the chance of my father ever seeing you. The guards do not recognize you because only my father and yours in the whole kingdom knows who you are and how you look. That's a different situation for me.

"Besides, he freed me in order to look for you. To get you to help stand up towards my father and change what was bad to good. Knowing the difference and..._setting the line..._" I felt my voice soften.

I took a breath from my speech, looking back at the girl, who was now standing up and looking at me with a surprised expression. She looked down to the ground. I heard a sniffle come out of her. Before I can even ask, I felt her arms cling around my skeletal frame and her face buried in my chest, _sobbing._ I only wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling close, trying my best to comfort her.

"*Sniff*I-I..I hated him, Jack. I...I said so many things to him that I never meant a-and...I thought that he hated me and wanted nothing to do with me...*Sniff* A-And when he k-killed me, I...I..." She sobbed even more, burying her face more into my chest. I only caressed her hair, my skeletal fingers stroking every strand separately collected.

"I _told_ him that I hated him. W-Why did he even bother to save my life?" She looked at me, her eyes pleading for guidance.

"Because he loves you." I responded. "And he knows that you can help change the world for the good."

She smiled. I only wiped a tear that had been threatening to fall off her cheek. Her smile really made my world bright and with hope again, and to ever see it the other way only made me heartbroken. She was the only one I knew that actually loved me still, even with my family.

Our bonding relationship was interrupted with a loud bang on the front door. This seemed to startle Sally, since she had then clung onto me from the noise. I heard Igor rushing from upstairs to the door. I could sense he had hesitated, since we still heart banging noises. Zero had started growling, only giving us a good predicting that it isn't a pleasant visitor.

"**OPEN UP BY THE ORDERS OF DANIEL SKELLINGTON FOR A RIGHTED SEARCH OF YOUR HOUSE! THIS IS THE POLICE!**"

I don't recall remembering Sally's reaction, nor Zero's, but I remember immediately running out of the room, practically jumping into the living room, and then into the hidden trap door Igor had showed me yesterday.

When I slid in the uncomfortable spacing, I had closed the top firmly, making sure that the carpet above it had covered it enough so that it wasn't easy to spot. After that, I heard complete silence and saw nothing but pitch black.

It was very cold and I was lying on my back so that I'd face the ceiling if I were on the actual ground. I had to admit, it was quite cramped, with my knees practically lined up with my arms in the little rectangular-shaped trapdoor, but it had been better than nothing.

It was a few minutes until I heard heavy footsteps enter the room. I narrowed my eye sockets in concentration as I then tried listening to the tensed silence in the room, trying to feel if they were surveying their surroundings close enough to notice any hidden key details.

They seemed to as I heard the footsteps crawling closer and closer to my hidden area. I could sense the tension nearby the doorway, where I had figured Igor and Sally had been, watching the policeman observe their house. It was until I heard footsteps reach my area for when I had froze.

It seemed silent, with the rest of the footsteps away from my area fading out from my hearing, but what I remembered was a voice stating, "Oh, look-y what we have here, boys, a little trapdoor. If it weren't for my curiosity, I'd question that they were _hiding something._"

I could tell that the person, who had crouched down near the opening, had glanced over to the doorway. It took a few moments of the person fiddling with the handle for me to suddenly panic. What if they found me and took me back?

My eye sockets widened. I didn't even want to imagine at the moment. I was so far in progress from only one day of escaping. With a few police guards catching me in a snap and having my face all over in the papers wouldn't help. It'd decrease all the work I had taken for years for the exact path I was walking on now.

Overthrowing my father.

A goal that's easy to accomplish, as long as nothing gets in the way. The clear path that I'd stroll along on as a free man, and not a slave. A miracle.

I felt my phantom heart increase even more for when I heard a click, meaning that the trapdoor was unlocked. And when the cops had opened it,

It was empty.


End file.
